iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Christopher Baldwin

EGH @eligh.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

30 Days of Pride Books Day 21: the Willowweep Manor series by Shaenon K. Garrity & Christopher Baldwin A gothic romance megafan finds herself in a pocket universe governed by the tropes of her favorite genre... with occasional incursions from other genres to keep her on her toes.

2 book covers, The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor & The Nefarious Nights of Willowweep Manor, by Shaenon K Garrity & Christopher Baldwin. Each cover illustration shows a Black woman and a white man in period attire, with a large gothic manor house behind them under a night sky with a full moon. In "Dire Days," they are fighting off a herd of bunnies with glowing green eyes, our heroes armed only with an umbrella and a small knife. In "Nefarious Nights," the heroine holds a magnifying glass and the hero struggles to hold onto a stack of books as the two of them, flanked by a cheerful dog and chicken, stumble upon a dead body. Yes, these books are very silly.

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Interesting. As a cartoonist who started posting comics online in 1996, back then there was no significant dialogue about not putting all your stuff online. The pendulum swings.

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

And I think it can also fit into the larger discussion of "othering." When "othering" something (immigrants, minorities, queerfolk, etc), it is building up the belief that they monsters, but in reality it's usually it's some old white guy in a mask.

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Ha! I don't remember well enough to disagree with that (although i did enjoy them as a kid). but I liked the theme of it, and the theme felt like kind-of the point. When you're a kid things can be scary & your imagination can go wild, so they were saying: the scary ghosts and monsters are not real.

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Anyhow, I haven't seen any Scooby Doo movies or shows since the original, so I can't actually judge them, so my childhood is NOT ruined or anything. Just thoughts.

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

I mean, i get why they did it, it ups the stakes for the story. But, similar to introducing a gun to a story to create more tension, I find it's usually lazy writing.

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

And I like that about the original series, that it was kind of the point, that there was always an actual explanation. It tried to adhere to science and evidence-based thinking. Which seems even more important as the internet and Ai are blurring reality lines for so many people.

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

And, so, the original Scooby Doo show never had anything supernatural be actually real. But most creations in the franchise SINCE then have had supernatural things be real.

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Hrm. New Scooby Doo movie coming out, so i just read up on the franchise, because I was curious if anything supernatural things ever ended up being real in that world (we'll ignore "talking dog" because that was purely for humor and entertainment).

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

What an amazing accomplishment! I've been enjoying it and really need to go back to the beginning and read it all at once. :)

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Thank you for saying so, Ecotype. 💚 It's funny, I'm not sure what to post whenever I pause the journal comic. I made chili again? Look at these purposefully not-too-fancy not-too-slovenly used shoes I bought? I've been posting comics on the internet since 1996, and yet it's still a mystery to me. 😁

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

I'm a big believer in organ donoring, but now I have to look up, can I specify that my brain is off-limits?

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

That's a wrap for my South America trip. To read the whole South America all at once, it's here (along with links to all my other comics). Thank you for following! www.baldwinpage.com/journalcomic...

A drawing of me walking down the street with a fleece on, and headphones in. The caption reads, "6/2/26 - I WALKED ON MY NORMAL MORNING WALK THAT I'VE BEEN DOING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR TWO YEARS. STILL LOVELY. STILL HAS GHOSTS. BUT I WILL STILL KEEP GOING. AND I FOUND MY LARGE POT, AND IN THE EVENING MADE CHILI, WHICH I'VE WANTED TO COOK FOR MONTHS! YUM!"

A drawing of me yawning and stretching. The caption reads, "AND THAT'S IT. MY LITTLE TRIP TO SOUTH AMERICA. SO, I'M GOING TO SET THE JOURNAL COMIC ASIDE AGAIN UNTIL I HAVE MORE ADVENTURES (I LOVE IT, BUT OY IT'S A LOT OF WORK)."

A drawing of me sitting at a table with a mug of something, looking out the widow at the clouds. The caption reads, "AND NOW I'M IN ALBUQUERQUE. I'M STILL A LITTLE DISORIENTED, FEELING ALL THE FEELS. BUT IT SEEMS GOOD. I FEEL SO LUCKY AND GRATEFUL - FOR THE ADVENTURES AND ALL THE KIND WONDERFUL PEOPLE I MET. THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU. HASTA LA PROXIMA, AMIGOS"

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

So many details in setting up a life again.

A drawing of me at my laptop, but staring off into space. The caption reads, "5/30/26 - AFTER SOME DEEP SLEEP, I GOT SO MUCH DONE. INSURED AND REGISTERED THE CAR, APPLIED FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE, ORDERED INTERNET, ORDERED A BED, BOUGHT CHAIRS, ETC."

A drawing of me carrying boxes. The caption reads, "6/1/26 - PICKED UP THE KEYS FROM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND SPENT THE DAY EXCAVATING MY STORAGE UNIT (NOT AS HORRIBLE AS ANTICIPATED)AND BRINGING THINGS OVER AND SLOWLY SETTING THINGS UP."

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

More stuff. Wish I'd remembered to add my Rick Steves toiletry bag which I bought about 25 years ago, having no idea who he was. Which was pretty useful, but since I was doing long stays, not really necessary since I spread out a little.

A drawing of a bakcpack. The caption reads, "BACKPACK: I LIKE MY BACKPACK BECAUSE IT HAS TWO STRAPS ACROSS THE FRONT AND A MESH BACK FOR BREATHABILITY. BUT THE STRAPS WERE MESSY ON PLANES, AND THE STIFF BACK NOT CASUAL ENOUGH FOR RELAXED SHLEPPING. SO, NEXT TIME I MIGHT OPT FOR THE FLOPPIER ONE."

A drawing of an empty shopping bag. The caption reads, "SHOPPING BAG: I BOUGHT THIS IN PUNTA ARENAS, AND USED IT A LOT FOR FOOD OR OTHER SHOPPING. I GOT THE VERY THIN NYLON KIND THAT YOU CAN FOLD AND PUT IN A POCKET OR SMALL BAG."

A drawing of a small shoulder bag. The caption reads, "SHOULDER BAG: ALSO BOUGHT IN PUNTA ARENAS. I CHOSE ONE APPROX 8.5" X 5.5", SO IT FITS MY KINDLE, A SMALL NOTEBOOK, OR PAPERS FOLDED IN HALF (PLUS A SMALL WATER BOTTLE)."

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Yes! Totally. For me it's usually to sleep in my own bed. Although I didn't have a bed to come back to, and had to buy one. But I love my new bed and love sleeping in it. :)

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Heh. No. It's mostly just because I only use one shade of grey for this project. Ivy's hair changes color so much I don't keep track. Tiarra's is a very brown blonde. And Annie has brown hair, i just forgot to put the shade on it.

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Final days are always so bitter sweet.

A drawing of Suspira and I eating snacks and watching a movie. The caption reads, "5/26/26 - SUSPIRA AND I HAD A SWEET EVENING OF HELLO/ GOODBYE. SNACKS, BEERS, AND THE 2Ø1Ø FILM "THE SWITCH' IN SPANISH (THE JEFF GOLDBLUM VOICE ACTOR WAS QUITE GOOD)."

A drawing of Lina and I walking around the airport. The caption reads, "THE NEXT TWO DAYS WERE A BLUR OF DRAWING AND WORRYING ABOUT TRAVEL. BUT ON THE 28TH LINA STOPPED BY AFTER WORK AND TOOK AN UBER WITH ME TO THE AIRPORT TO MAKE SURE I GOT THERE OKAY."

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

A small sweet trip to the seaside town of La Punta.

A drawing of Lina and I eating at a table with drawings of the food we ate floating around us. The caption reads, "4/25/26 - LINA AND I RETURNED TO OIGA SO I COULD TRY TRY VEGAN VERSIONS OF CAUSA CON LECHE DE TIGRE Y CHICHARRÓN DE "PESCADO", TORTITA DE CHOCLO CON LECHE DE TIGRE Y AJI AMARILLO, AND CHICHA MORADA PARA BEBER."

A drawing of Lina and I leaning against a wall, looking out at the sea. The caption reads, "THEN WE TOOK AN UBER ALONG THE COAST TO LA PUNTA, WHERE WE WALKED BY THE SEA AND TALKED ABOUT GOSSIP, COMMUNITY, AND LEARNING SPANISH. WE HAD DESSERTS AT DELIBAKERY LA PUNTA, AND LATER I TRIED MAZAMORRA MORADA: PUDDING MADE FROM PURPLE CORN, FRUITS, AND SPICES."

A drawing of Lina and I in a dark little minivan-type bus, crammed in with other people. Also a small inset drawing of the vehicle from the outside with a person leaning out and an arrow pointing at him which reads, "cobrador." The caption reads, "AFTER A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE BOAT RIDE, THE BLUES AND GRAYS MAKING ME WANT TO PAINT, WE TOOK A "COMBI BACK. THESE LITTLE WHITE MINIVAN BUSSES PACK FULL AND GO ALL OVER TOWN, STOPPING ANYWHERE. I ENJOYED SEEING THE TOWN THIS WAY. ALTHOUGH EVERY UBER RIDE (AND NOW COMBI RIDE) THAT I TAKE, I RATE IT AS TO HOW LIKELY WE ARE TO ALL DIE, AND IT SEEMS EVERY RIDE TOPS THE PREVIOUS ONE."

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

I hear there are other reasons to travel, but I'm not sold on them. :)

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

I'd like to return if I can get my Spanish to a better level. It was an amazing adventure, but too isolating/lonely for so long. Well, this spring I FINALLY finished writing a graphic novel I've been working on for years, and my agent is currently shopping it around. Fingers crossed!

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Well, the journal comic will still be posting (catching up) for a couple weeks or so, but I fly back to the USA today. Holy cow, what a strange long meandering amazing trip.

A drawing of Ninon and I on a boat with land in the background. The caption reads, "I WENT ON A GUIDED TOUR WITH NINON. IT STARTED WITH A 4 HOUR BUS RIDE TO PARACAS, THEN A BOAT RIDE AROUND THE BALLESTAS ISLANDS, WHERE WE SAW PENGUINS, SEA LIONS, AND THE PARACAS CANDELABRA."

A drawing of a man performing a pisco tasting presentation. The caption reads, "WE HAD LUNCH AT TRES NETOS IN THE ICA REGION, SEATED WITH A NICE BRAZILIAN COUPLE FROM OUR GROUP. THEN A PISCO TASTING AT THE SAME RESTAURANT. I LIKED THE SWEET ONES."

A drawing of a dune buggy driving up over a dune, several feet in the air. The caption reads, "THEN ON TO THE DUNES IN HUACACHINA. IT WAS A LOT OF PHOTO OPS, AND SEVERAL VERY INSANE BUGGY RIDE THROUGH THE DUNES, WHICH EXPLAINS THE IF-YOU-ARE-MAIMED-OR-DIE WAIVER THEY HAD US SIGN."

A drawing of me going down a sand dune on a snowboard, on my stomach. The caption reads, "THEN SANDBOARDING (MOST OF US RIDING DOWN ON OUR STOMACHS LIKE A SLED). THEN WE PARKED ATOP A DUNE AND WATCHED THE SUNSET. AFTERWARDS, SLEEPY, I SPENT THE 4 HOUR BUS RIDE BACK LISTENING TO AN AUDIOBOOK."

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Sometimes we can't express our needs or get overwhelmed, and yet we survive. We're kinda weird amazing creatures.

A drawing of Charlotte and I talking over dinner in a restaurant. The caption reads, "4/15/26 - I HAD DINNER WITH CHARLOTTE BEFORE THEY RETURNED TO THE STATES. IT WAS NICE TO TALK ABOUT OUR SIMILAR EXPERIENCES OF IMMERSION LEARNING, AND THE REAL FEAR OF NOT BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS OUR NEEDS DOWN HERE."

A drawing of Suspira and I in a pub, toasting drinks. The caption reads, "4/16/26 - SUSPIRA AND I WENT OUT TO MALAJUNTAS FOR A DRINK AND SNACKS. A NICE NIGHT OUT IN A LOVELY QUIET-ISH PLACE WHERE WE COULD JUST TALK."

A drawing of me in the tourist market, with a vendor tossing a poncho over my shoulders. The caption reads, "4/17/26 - I RETURNED TO INKA MARKET TO GET SOME LITTLE THINGS. I DON'T JUDGE SUPER-ASSERTIVE VENDERS, THEY'RE JUST MAKING A LIVING, BUT I TEND TO GET OVERWHELMED AND CAN'T THINK. SO I ONLY BOUGHT A FEW THINGS AND SLIPPED OUT."

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

I'm anti ALL insider trading, so I think that that soldier's Maduro Raid bet was wrong. BUT almost more-so, I'm against law inequality, and with the IMMENSE amount of insider trading in upper government, I feel this guy's case should be heard last. But nope. Because he's just some poor shmuck. Grrr.

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Thanks, Kay! I go back on the 29th, so right now it's just all the online "paper"work. But SO FAR it's a lot, but everything is going smoothly (knocks on wood). :)

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Taking care of business like a (pantsless) BOSS.

A drawing of me walking with a trash-bag full of clothes through the lobby of my building, with me only wearing a shirt and my boxers. The caption reads, "4/13/26 - CLOTHES MUSTY FROM HANDWASHING, I BROUGHT THEM TO THE LAUNDRY ACROSS THE STREET. BUT I ONLY HAVE TWO PAIRS OF PANTS AND ONE PAIR OF SHORTS, SO I WENT WEARING ONLY BOXERS. THEY LOOK KINDA' LIKE SHORTS, BUT I WAS EMBARRASSED."

A drawing of my sitting on the couch, working on my laptop. The caption reads, "I'VE BEGUN THE SLOG OF SETTING UP MY LIFE IN THE USA AGAIN AFTER 7 MONTHS AWAY. APARTMENT APPLICATION AND LEASE, TAXES, HEALTH INSURANCE, EBT, CAR REGISTRATION. A NEVER ENDING LIST."

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

heh. I washed my tattoo and went to put Bepanthen on it. But I'd set the tube of it right next to the toothpaste. Yup, you guessed it. I mean, on the bright side, I was able to re-wash it and apply correctly, and I DIDN'T accidentally brush my teeth with Bepanthen. Yet. 😁🙄🤪

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

I'm looking forward to taking an actual Salsa class when I return. :)

A drawing of a group of us painting small ceramic bulls. The caption reads, "4/9/26 - THE SCHOOL HAS EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS, AND THIS NIGHT IT WAS PAINTING TORITO DE PUCARÁ, LITTLE CERAMIC BULLS. YOU PUT THEM IN PAIRS ON YOUR ROOF, AND THEY WATCH OVER YOU."

A drawing of me on the phone with my headphones, working on my computer. The caption reads, "LATER, WITH THE HELP OF IVY, I BOUGHT A PLANE TICKET HOME APRIL 29TH! AND THE FOLLOWING DAY MY APARTMENT APPLICATION WAS APPROVED. UM. I GUESS I'M GOING HOME. I HAVE LOTS OF FEELINGS ABOUT THIS."

A drawing of me and another person practicing dancing. The caption reads, "4/10/26 - SALSA WORKSHOP AT THE SCHOOL, VERY INTRO, MORE AN ACTIVITY THAN A CLASS. DESPITE ANXIETY (WHICH I GOT FROM MY PREVIOUS DANCE CLASS), I (SUCCESSFULLY) MADE MYSELF RELAX AND HAVE FUN.

A drawing of Ninon and I eating dessert. The caption reads, "AFTERWARDS I GOT DESSERTS WITH NINON, A WOMAN TRAVELING HERE FROM MONTREAL. WE TALKED ABOUT WHY WE'RE HERE IN PERU, BOOKS, STUDYING, ABOUT BEING AN INTROVERT, AND ALL THE THINGS."

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Thank you, Nathan! It's certainly been strange/fun/interesting/pivotal/moving/affecting trip for me on my end. I'll be trying to make sense of it all for a while to come. :)

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

I love eating out, but in weeks like this, it makes me dream of going back to my apartment and having my morning oats and a PB&J lunch.

A drawing of Suspira and I talking at a pub. The caption reads, "LATER, I HAD LAGERS AND TEQUEÑOS AT MOLLY'S PUB WITH SUSPIRA (IN ENGLISH), AND WE TALKED AND LAUGHED FOR HOURS."

A drawing of me in a restaurant with Charlotte and Regina. The caption reads, "4/6/26 - I MET UP WITH CHARLOTTE AND REGINA (ALSO FROM OLYMPIA, WA) FOR FOOD (CHEESECAKE FOR ME) AT SAMSARA, A VEGAN RESTAURANT. SO WEIRD TO MEET SO MANY PEOPLE I KNOW (OR FRIENDS OF FRIENDS) IN PERU!"

A drawing of a small 3-story (kinda 2 story) building. The caption reads, "4/7/26 - A FEW YEARS BACK I LIVED IN AN APARTMENT IN ALBUQUERQUE AND LOVED IT EXCEPT THAT IT WAS THE BASEMENT OF A 3 STORY. WELL... THE TOP APARTMENTS OPENED UP, AND I GOT A VIRTUAL TOUR AND APPLIED. I GUESS I'M LOOKING TOWARDS HOME."

A drawing of Lina and I at a restaurant. The caption reads, "LATER I MET LINA AT SAN ANTONIA AGAIN FOR SNACKING, ALTHOUGH I GOT LOST GETTING THERE. SHE LOOKED FABULOUS AND WE TALKED ABOUT OUR WEEKS."

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Christopher Baldwin @chrisjbaldwin.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

I wonder if Trump will deny knowing it was Jesus in the picture with him, hand on Trump's shoulder. Or if Trump will say he thought it was a doctor tending to him.

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